Wilder, Ortiz set clash for New York on March 3 News

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Wilder, Ortiz set clash for New York on March 3

By Daily Sports on January 13, 2018

WBC world heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder will defend his title against Luis Ortiz on Saturday, 3 March at the Barclays Center in New York.

November's original fight was postponed after Ortiz failed a drug test.

Ortiz was fined $25,000 (£18,497) but not banned from the sport as the World Boxing Council said the Cuban took the drugs for high blood pressure.

American Wilder has won all 39 of his professional fights, all but one inside the distance. Ortiz has won all 28.

Britain's Anthony Joshua, who holds the IBF and WBA world heavyweight belts, is in talks with WBO champion Joseph Parker of New Zealand over a potential fight at Cardiff's Principality Stadium on 31 March.

No boxer has simultaneously held the WBC, IBF, WBA and WBO world heavyweight belts, and Wilder is a future target for Joshua.

When the original fight with 38-year-old Ortiz was postponed, Wilder then defended his WBC title against fellow American Bermane Stirmane and won with a first-round knockout.

On Thursday, it was announced that Wilder was ordered to do 60 hours of community service after being found guilty of misdemeanour marijuana possession after he was arrested in Alabama last June.

He received a 30-day suspended sentence and two years of probation and has to perform the community service at a local YMCA. (BBC)

•Photo shows wilder.

Source Daily Sports

Posted January 13, 2018